A CPP giant magnetoresistive head includes a lower shield layer; an upper shield layer; and a giant magnetoresistive element (GMR) between the lower shield layer and the upper shield layer. The GMR includes a nonmagnetic material layer; a pinned magnetic layer; and a free magnetic layer. The pinned layer and the free layer are laminated with the nonmagnetic layer provided therebetween. A current flows perpendicularly to a film plane of the GMR, the pinned magnetic layer extends in the height direction longer than in a track-width direction and includes a first portion in the GMR. The first portion is disposed above or below the nonmagnetic layer and the free layer. A second portion is behind the nonmagnetic layer and the free layer in the height direction. The first and second portions are in the same plane. The width of the pinned layer in the track-width direction in the first portion is greater than that in the second portion.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A CPP giant magnetoresistive head comprising: a lower shield layer; an upper shield layer; and a giant magnetoresistive element between the lower shield layer and the upper shield layer, the giant magnetoresistive element comprising: a nonmagnetic material layer; a pinned magnetic layer; and a free magnetic layer, the pinned magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer being laminated with the nonmagnetic layer provided therebetween, a current flowing perpendicularly to a film plane of the giant magnetoresistive element, the pinned magnetic layer extending in a direction extending perpendicular from a storage medium longer than in a track-width direction and including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being disposed above or below the nonmagnetic material layer and the free magnetic layer, and a second portion behind the nonmagnetic material layer and the free magnetic layer in the direction extending perpendicular from the storage medium, the first portion and the second portion being in the same plane, a width of the pinned magnetic layer in the track-width direction in the second portion being greater than that in the first portion.
2. The CPP giant magnetoresistive head according to claim 1 , wherein the second portion includes a slope section where the width of the pinned magnetic layer in the track-width direction is increased from the first portion toward the second portion.
3. The CPP giant magnetoresistive head according to claim 2 , wherein an angle of inclination of the slope section is 5° to 45° with respect to a side face along the height direction in the first portion.
4. The CPP giant magnetoresistive head according to claim 1 , further comprising: a pair of longitudinal bias layers being in contact with both sides of the giant magnetoresistive element along the direction extending perpendicular from the storage medium and applying a longitudinal bias magnetic field to the free magnetic layer, a width of each longitudinal bias layer in the track-width direction in the second portion being smaller than that in the first portion.
5. The CPP giant magnetoresistive head according to claim 4 , wherein the pair of longitudinal bias layers each having a controllable minimum width in the track-width direction is provided at the second portion.
6. The CPP giant magnetoresistive head according to claim 1 , wherein the pinned magnetic layer comprises a magnetic material having a positive magnetostriction constant, and an end of the pinned magnetic layer is exposed at a surface facing the storage medium.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
May 31, 2005
April 29, 2008
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